Colossians 2:6-23
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”
“In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
“Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.”
“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
Introduction
There are many voices in this world crying out to be heard. Their desired outcome is not to benefit you but to cause you eternal harm by diverting your attention from the Master, Jesus Christ. Jesus described a shepherd whose sheep recognize his voice and follow him. They will not follow a stranger because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. The thief, however, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.
The apostle Paul proclaims a similar message in Colossians 2:6-23. He wants believers to be captivated by the voice of Jesus Christ. This will equip them to recognize that any voice that contradicts their Master is false. Our theme, “It’s All About Christ!” allows us to live freely in Christ and avoid the false teachings of this world.
Colossians 2:6-7
In Colossians 2:6-7, Paul teaches us four steps for building the foundation of our lives on Christ. The first step is that we must continue to love Jesus. He wrote, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.” Do you remember the love you experienced when you gave your heart and life to Jesus? You
were captivated by true love. You realigned your life to follow true love. You could not imagine life without Christ. We must keep the fire of love burning as we serve our Savior and Lord.
The second step is that we are to grow in our new identity as followers of Christ. Paul wrote that we are to be “rooted and built up” in Christ. Jesus gave us a fresh start, a new identity, and hope for eternity. The entirety of our being must bring honor and glory to Christ.
The third step is that we are to apply the truths of Scripture to our lives daily. Paul wrote that we are to be “strengthened in the faith as you were taught.” Growing stronger happens as we are tested and learn to use our spiritual muscles. Our testimony of God’s faithfulness strengthens our faith in and love for Him.
The fourth step in building the foundation of our lives on Christ is that the declaration of our hearts must be thankfulness. We must be thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing, and will do. If our hearts are declaring thankfulness to the Lord, there is no room for dissension or division.
Colossians 2:8
If our foundation is, as our theme for Colossians states, “It’s All About Christ!” then we can recognize the devious tactics of the evil one, who is trying to kill and destroy us. The enemy’s tactics are hollow and deceptive. The world tries to deceive us with fine-sounding arguments that have the appearance of truth but are actually cheap imitations designed to harm us. The authority for such arguments is found in human tradition, which says, “It has always been done this way,” and in the basic principles of this world, which say, “Everyone is doing it.” But the authority on which we stand is Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Our authority is built on the Rock of Ages. Their authority is built on sinking sand.
Colossians 2:9-23
The false teaching confronting the Colossians appears to have combined several human traditions, religious regulations, mystical practices, and ascetic ideas. Paul devoted Colossians 2:9-23 to evaluating these teachings in light of the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. In doing so, he exposed them as false.
In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul opposed teachings that diminished the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ by declaring that all the fullness of Deity lives in Christ in bodily form. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He is the Supreme Authority over every power and authority.
In Colossians 2:11-17, Paul opposed reliance on circumcision, religious regulations, food laws, festivals, and Sabbath observances as necessary additions to the saving work of Christ. Salvation is not earned by works of self-righteousness but comes through being made alive with Christ. The reality of salvation is found in Christ.
In Colossians 2:18-19, Paul opposed false humility, the worship of angels, and an unhealthy preoccupation with visions that disconnected people from Christ, the Head of the church. An appearance of spirituality may fool others and may even deceive you, but it does not fool God.
In Colossians 2:20-23, Paul opposed man-made regulations and harsh treatment of the body that appeared wise but were powerless to restrain sinful desires. These practices placed the emphasis on human actions rather than on Jesus Christ. They had the appearance of wisdom but lacked any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Application
Paul taught us that we are free to live in Christ and are not bound by the false teachings of this world. Our theme, “It’s All About Christ!” keeps us focused on Jesus, the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We must do all we can to be rooted and built up in Jesus. All that we are and all that we hope to be must reflect the glory of Christ in us.
The devil is out to kill and destroy us. He is doing all that he can to steal our joy in the Lord and divert us from fulfilling our God-given destinies. We must hold the teachings and philosophies of this world up to the light of Truth. They will then be exposed for what they are: false teachings. We must fix our eyes on Jesus and finish the race marked out for us.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, please keep the fire of my love for You burning brightly. I want to grow in wisdom and in the knowledge of You. I want to be the person You want me to be. Please keep me safe from the false teachings of this world and focused on the Truth of who You are. Amen.
For You to Consider
- What must you avoid doing that would diminish your love for Jesus? What can you do to grow in your love for Him?
- What can you do to be “rooted and built up” in Christ?
- Share examples of how the Lord brought you through a trial and strengthened your faith.
- What are some philosophies and teachings of this world that tempt or challenge the faith of people today?
- What was the Holy Spirit saying to you during the study of this passage?